01 point of view
Written by: Review Editor Room
2020-07-10 17:50
Date of last update: 2020-07-10 17:50A new wave of local outbreaks of pneumococcal pneumonia occurred in Hong Kong. There were 34 new cases and 32 local infections in Hong Kong on Thursday and Friday (9th and 10th). The government has reintroduced a number of measures to limit cohesion, including restricting no more than eight diners per table, no more than 60% occupancy, and no more than four bars per bar. The book fair originally scheduled to be held from July 15 to July 21, where to go, or what epidemic prevention measures should be taken, will be announced to exhibitors as soon as possible by the government and health authorities.
The third wave of the epidemic broke out, tightening restrictions on gatherings and customers. Starting next week at the book fair, the Center for Health Protection believes that there is a high flow of people and a high risk of outbreaks, and will provide suggestions to the organizers. The picture shows the 2019 Book Fair. (Profile picture / Photo by Luo Junhao)
Should stop the book fair
Xu Shuchang, a lecturer professor of the Department of Respiratory System of the Chinese University School of Medicine, was interviewed by the media on Friday (10th). When asked whether the book fair should be held as scheduled, he said that ideally, the book fair should be canceled this year to avoid crowding and to prevent the source of infection from being traced. . However, Xu Shuchang also said that if the government decides to continue the meeting as scheduled, it emphasizes the need for good anti-epidemic measures, including controlling the number of people, stipulating the wearing of masks, and adding alcohol-based hand rubbing liquid in the venue. The organizer of the book fair, Hong Kong Trade Development, also stated that it would buffer the distance between the queue and the queues, and limit the food and beverages in the book fair.
Whether the book fair should continue involves both epidemic prevention and exhibitor arrangements. The government needs to strike a balance between epidemic prevention and the economy. Earlier, the government did not restrict indoors, but restricted 50 people outdoors with more air circulation. As Yuan Guoyong, a professor at the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong, said, the measures themselves are "without scientific basis" and will inevitably lead to a social rebound. Even if the book fair is held indoors, it does not violate the order to limit the gathering, but whether the book fair is suitable for the present is still subject to serious review by the government.
Considering the third wave of outbreaks in Hong Kong, if there is a large-scale outbreak, the medical burden in Hong Kong may increase sharply. And as the epidemic prolongs, the negative impact on Hong Kong's economy cannot be compensated by the revenue of a book fair. Even in the next few days, once the epidemic worsens, it is believed that the number of people willing to go to the book fair will be hit hard. The government should seriously consider the possibility of suspending the book fair. Even if the government decides to hold the meeting as scheduled, the government still considers other methods to limit the number of people in the book fair and exchanges, such as opening at different times and making online appointments to prevent the virus from spreading in the venue.
The government should seriously consider the possibility of suspending the book fair. (Photo by Liang Pengwei / Profile picture)
Funding exhibitors
At present, it is not far from the original book fair exhibition period. Many exhibitors are on the line. If the book fair is suddenly canceled, the exhibitors or the capital will not return. The Book Fair Concern Group said that book revenue accounted for nearly 40% of the annual revenue of some book vendors, and many book vendors have invested in setting up booths to prepare for the scheduled opening. Once the book fair is closed due to the epidemic situation, or if the epidemic situation leads to unsatisfactory sales, it may affect the livelihood of publishers this year. The government should still consider granting subsidies to Hong Kong publishers to support the continued operation of the publishers and maintain the local cultural vitality.
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01 point of view
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